Pillowtop/panel attachment gusset with ruffled corners

Abstract

An attachment gusset with ruffled corners and method and machinery for manufacture provides a gusset formed of a continuous strip of material which is pleated at corners or turns in direction of the gusset to form ruffles which are attached to an adjacent layer of material. The ruffled gusset lies substantially flat against adjacent layers of material to which it is attached in a pressed state, and can be expanded to accommodate dimensional structures, such as cushioned pads. The number and spacing of pleats can be adjusted according to the radius of the corners or turns in the gusset. In a method of construction of the gusset, the pleats are formed as the material to which the gusset is attached is turned relative to the sewing point of attachment.

What is claimed as the invention is:  
     
       1. A pleated attachment gusset for attachment of a first generally planar panel to a second generally planar panel positioned parallel to the first panel, the pleasted attachment gusset comprising: 
       a piece of gusset material having one or more pleats formed by pleat folds at a first edge of the gusset material, the pleat folds being attached at points proximate to the first edge of the gusset material and to a first panel, whereby a direction of the gusset material is altered about the pleats according to a number and size of the one or more pleats, and  
       a second edge of the gusset material attached to the second panel.  
     
     
       2. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  wherein the one or more pleats extend partially across a width of the gusset material. 
     
     
       3. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of pleats forming a ruffled corner whereby the direction of the gusset material is altered approximately ninety degrees. 
     
     
       4. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  wherein the gusset material is continuous about a perimeter of the first panel. 
     
     
       5. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  having a plurality of pleats evenly spaced. 
     
     
       6. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  wherein the one or more pleats do not extend across an entire width of the gusset material. 
     
     
       7. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  in combination with a panel of a mattress. 
     
     
       8. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  in combination with a mattress pillowtop. 
     
     
       9. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  wherein the gusset material is made of mattress upholstery material. 
     
     
       10. The attachment gusset of  claim 1  wherein the gusset material is folded along a length. 
     
     
       11. A mattress having a panel on one side of a mattress innerspring, a gusset attached generally about a perimeter of the panel, the gusset made of a piece of material folded about a length dimension, wherein the gusset is attached to the panel proximate to a fold in the gusset material, a first edge of the gusset opposite the fold attached to a perimeter of the panel, a second edge of the gusset adapted for attachment to another panel, and corners of the gusset having one or more pleats forming a ruffled gusset corner. 
     
     
       12. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the second edge of the gusset is attached to a perimeter of a mattress pillowtop. 
     
     
       13. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the each of the corners of the gusset have a plurality of generally evenly spaced pleats. 
     
     
       14. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the one or more pleats at the corners of the gusset are sewn to the first panel. 
     
     
       15. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the one or more pleats at the corners of the gusset are generally evenly spaced. 
     
     
       16. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the gusset material is made of mattress upholstery material. 
     
     
       17. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the one or more pleats extend partially across a width of the gusset material. 
     
     
       18. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the first edge of the gusset is attached to the mattress panel by a tape edge. 
     
     
       19. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the second edge of the gusset is attached to a second panel by a tape edge. 
     
     
       20. The mattress of  claim 11  wherein the gusset is attached to the panel at points spaced from a perimeter of the panel. 
     
     
       21. A pillowtop mattress having a mattress innerspring defining two parallel and spaced-apart support surfaces and an orthogonal sides between the support surfaces, the innerspring being covered by a panel over each support surface and a border over the orthogonal sides, perimeter edges of the panels being joined to edges of the border to encapsulate the innerspring in upholstery material, 
       a gusset sewn about a perimeter of at least one panel, the gusset being in the form of a continuous strip of material which is folded along a length dimension and sewn proximate to the fold to the panel so that first and second edges of the gusset opposite the fold are generally aligned with a perimeter of the panel,  
       the gusset having one or more pleats at corners of the panel, the pleats forming a ruffled gusset corner whereby the first edge of the gusset opposite the fold is configured for attachment to the perimeter of the panel, and the second edge of the gusset configured for attachment to an overlying pillowtop panel, whereby the gusset attaches a pillowtop encapsulated by the pillowtop panel to the panel covering the mattress innerspring to form a pillowtop mattress.  
     
     
       22. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the gusset is made of mattress upholstery material. 
     
     
       23. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the gusset is folded in half along a length dimension. 
     
     
       24. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein each corner of the gusset at corners of the perimeter of the mattress has four or more pleats which form a ruffled gusset corner. 
     
     
       25. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the ruffled gusset corners lie substantially flat when in a pressed condition. 
     
     
       26. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the gusset is sewn along two different lines to the panel covering the mattress innerspring, and sewn along one line to a perimeter of the pillowtop panel. 
     
     
       27. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  further comprising a tape edge in combination with the second edge of the gusset and the pillowtop panel. 
     
     
       28. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the pillowtop panel is a border of a pillowtop. 
     
     
       29. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein the pleats of the ruffled gusset corners are overlapping. 
     
     
       30. The pillowtop mattress of  claim 21  wherein edges of the gusset are sewn to the respective panels with a tape edge.